The impact of (Canarium Odontophyllum Miq.) Dabai Optimum Soaking Condition Towards the Development of Dabai Peanut Spread Physicochemical Properties and Sensory Evaluation

Canarium odontophyllum miq. also known as dabai is known as Sarawak indigenous fruit and utilised for dabai peanut spread formulation. Dabai is physically hard in texture and consumed by soaking under heat treatment. Therefore, dabai optimum soaking condition is determined followed by the development of dabai peanut spread. The determination of soaking condition requires: soaking time (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12) mins and soaking temperature (50°C, 60°C, 70°C and 80°C) as independent variables, and (water absorption, crude protein content, crude fat content, moisture content, ash content and colour) as dependent variables. 50°C for 4 minutes is the optimum dabai soaking condition, and it is being utilised for dabai peanut spread formulation. There were six different formulations with different ratios of soaked dabai and roasted peanut, and further underwent proximate analyses and sensory evaluation test. The combination of a low amount of soaked dabai (40 g) with a high amount of roasted peanut (160 g) has produced a high amount of crude protein (10.65%) and crude fat (35.95%) and was found significantly (p<0.05) acceptable by the panellists. The information obtained provides a better understanding of dabai as a potential food product ingredient

A multiobjective simulated Kalman filter optimization algorithm

This paper presents a new multiobjective type optimization algorithm known as a Multiobjective Optimization Simulated Kalman Filter (MOSKF). It is a further enhancement of a single-objective Simulated Kalman Filter (SKF) optimization algorithm. A synergy between SKF and Non-dominated Solution (NS) approach is introduced to formulate the multiobjective type algorithm. SKF is a random based optimization algorithm inspired from Kalman Filter theory. A Kalman gain is formulated following the prediction, measurement and estimation steps of the Kalman filter design. The Kalman gain is utilized to introduce a dynamic step size of a search agent in the SKF algorithm. A Non-dominated Solution (NS) approach is utilized in the formulation of the multiobjective strategy. Cost function value and diversity spacing parameters are taken into consideration in the strategy. Every single agent carries those two parameters in which will be used to compare with other solutions from other agents in order to determine its domination. A solution that has a lower cost function value and higher diversity spacing is considered as a solution that dominates other solutions and thus is ranked in a higher ranking. The algorithm is tested with various multiobjective benchmark functions and compared with Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm 2 (NSGA2) multiobjective algorithm. Result of the analysis on the accuracy tested on the benchmark functions is tabulated in a table form and shows that the proposed algorithm outperforms NSGA2 significantly. The result also is presented in a graphical form to compare the generated Pareto solution based on proposed MOSKF and original NSGA2 with the theoretical Pareto solution

Alley-cropping system can boost arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is among the fastest expanding crops, due to high global demand for vegetable oils. Large areas of forest are converted into oil palm plantation to meet the market demand in producing countries which causes rapid decline in tropical biodiversity, including arthropods. The alley-cropping system has the potential to promote faunal biodiversity, related ecosystem services and food security in agricultural landscapes. In alley-cropping, a main crop is intercropped with a secondary crop (often a food crop), secondary crops are cultivated in the alleys in between the main crop. We compared arthropod taxonomic richness, arthropod predators and decomposers between five alley-cropping treatments (pineapple, bamboo, black pepper, cacao, bactris), where oil palm is intercropped with another species. In addition, we sampled two control treatments: monoculture oil palm, aged seven and 15 years old. A total of 50,155 arthropod individuals were recorded using pitfall trap sampling, representing 19 orders and 28 families. Fourteen orders belonging to sub-phylum Insecta, three orders from Arachnida (Araneae; Acarinae; Scorpiones) and two orders from Myriapoda (Chordeumatida; Geophilomorpha). We detected an increase in beta-diversity of oil palm production landscape. Specifically, we found that the number of arthropod orders, families and abundance were significantly greater in alley-cropping farming plots than those in monoculture plots. In addition, alley-cropping treatments contained larger numbers of predators and decomposers. Our findings suggest that the alley-cropping system can become a key management strategy to improve biodiversity and ecosystem functions within oil palm production landscapes

Batch and continuous removal of heavy metals from industrial effluents using microbial consortia

Bio-removal of heavy metals, using microbial biomass, increasingly attracting scientific attention due to their significant role in purification of different types of wastewaters making it reusable. Heavy metals were reported to have a significant hazardous effect on human health, and while the conventional methods of removal were found to be insufficient; microbial biosorption was found to be the most suitable alternative. In this work, an immobilized microbial consortium was generated using Statistical Design of Experiment (DOE) as a robust method to screen the efficiency of the microbial isolates in heavy metal removal process. This is the first report of applying Statistical DOE to screen the efficacy of microbial isolates to remove heavy metals instead of screening normal variables. A mixture of bacterial biomass and fungal spores was used both in batch and continuous modes to remove Chromium and Iron ions from industrial effluents. Bakery yeast was applied as a positive control, and all the obtained biosorbent isolates showed more significant efficiency in heavy metal removal. In batch mode, the immobilized biomass was enclosed in a hanged tea bag-like cellulose membrane to facilitate the separation of the biosorbent from the treated solutions, which is one of the main challenges in applying microbial biosorption at large scale. The continuous flow removal was performed using fixed bed mini-bioreactor, and the process was optimized in terms of pH (6) and flow rates (1 ml/min) using Response Surface Methodology. The most potential biosorbent microbes were identified and characterized. The generated microbial consortia and process succeeded in the total removal of Chromium ions and more than half of Iron ions both from standard solutions and industrial effluents

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030